We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Wednesday, May 20. 2015

I think daily pot-smoking is a poor choice of lifestyle especially if you want a clear head. However, poor choice of lifestyle is not a crime. I enjoy a taste of weed once in a while, usually on a boat on a calm, clear day with a couple of Pacificos. Sometimes on a hiking climb in the glorious White Mountains of New Hampshire, or on a trout stream anywhere. It's difficult to relax anywhere, but one must put in that extra effort to relax sometimes if only to get along with others cheerfully.

Basically all studies pertaining to cannabis (scientific term for marijuana) are suggestive at best -- hardly a liberty-infringing basis for another demonstrably failed prohibition.

My newly launched campaign called Respect Cannabis (http://stresshealth.biz/respect-cannabis) responds to the continuous momentum towards "weakening" drug laws for worst through best (noting such "weakening" demonstrates no significant change over the past couple of decades -- including any validation of the baseless proclamation of inevitable disaster upon such "weakening" as necessarily selfishly expressed by people with a serious financial interest to sustain the war on some drugs).

Electronic vaporization (with precise temperature control) is the future of mainstream cannabis use, because unhealthy stress from smoking is removed (not to mention essentially, if not completely, the odor), intake efficiency is vastly superior (saving users a lot of money), and greatly facilitates the ability to get an effect comparable (even less impactful, but nice stress-relief) to drinking a glass of wine as a nightcap (without killing brain cells, but scientifically suggestively improving overall neurological functioning).

By any sane measure, the war on some drugs in general is unconstitutional (ridiculous application of traditional political leftists' "interpretation" of the Commerce Clause finally be justly damned -- and so too the unbearable hypocrisy by traditional political rightists such as Nixon and Reagan), ineffective (not even a "drug free" prison system), expensive (billions of taxpayer dollars spent annually), and -- if you like your scientific basis for infringing upon the unalienable right to liberty to be conclusive to prevent the abuse of law -- unwarranted...

The fact is no experimental science proves any harm from moderate cannabis use. Moderate means any use without objectively proven harm (as has most often occurred for thousands of year by millions of people based upon all published measures -- including our government stats unethically spun by 'certain drug' prohibitionists).

Drug abuse (including alcohol) and all other forms of abuse (especially the abuse of law as clearly demonstrated in the form of Certain Drug Prohibition) are certainly worth public addressing, and the solution comes ironically from the prohibitionist U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse:

"Researchers have long recognized the strong correlation between stress and substance abuse..." (stated back in 1995)

What we need is a 'war' on unhealthy stress, and that is what my Stress Health entertainment project is meticulously crafted for.

We also need (and Stress Health will lawfully deliver) perpetual public education regarding the skill of cannabis use, including the need for careful strain selection (from literally an oceanic set of possibilities -- like choosing music) and other key factors in exploring this potentially seriously powerful psychedelic plant (that can also produce effects so minimal, they are literally one tiniest step from sobriety).

Education (formal and otherwise) is actually toughly "grabbing the bull by the horns", but prohibition talks that talk, while actually trying to "sweep the problem under the rug" clearly against public safety for several decades and sadly counting.

Deeply familiar with this issue, I sense the need for a "What about heroin?" response, I refer you to my "HUSH for Rush" journal post on the matter:

I wouldn't say that smoking dope was in and of itself stupid - most things in moderation will not hurt you. But at the same time, I don't think it's particularly intelligent, especially for the "youts".

Making it legal would allow for some degree of control over its distribution. For me, there is also a moral issue. If I own my own body, I ought to be able to put whatever I want into it. That doesn't affect the rights of others.

1) Alcohol can be drunk in small amounts with little to no affect on someone. Glass of wine does little harm to people. You can drive legally, function normally, etc. With marijuana you are just high...there is no such thing as 'just a little bit high.'

2) There are lots of laws in place that deal with alcohol...public drunkness and open containers being an example. States should then enforce public intoxication while high and have that as an arrestable, fineable offense. The same should be true for finding marijuana in your car or on your person while driving.

3) Strictly enforce age laws and access. If a store sells marijuana to an underage person, they should lose their license to sell...just like a bar. If a parent shares his weed with his kids, he should get in big trouble.

It's not as easy as saying 'let's legalize marijuana just like alcohol.' A whole host of things would have to change in order for legalized marijuana to be the 'same' as alcohol.

It is in fact more benign than alcohol. Except...
If you have the genetic loading for a psychotic disorder, especially schophrenia, cannabis enomously increases the chances of you developing that condition. And that is simply not a good risk, because that illness is so destructive.

I wouldn't risk it at all on that basis. But even more especially if you have any psychotic relatives, just say no. Bob Drake up at Dartmouth Medical School (Geisel) has done extensive research on this.

for most jobs, insurers and companies are still going to insist on drug testing for hiring and following accidents, and given the limits of time-accuracy for drug tests, getting hired, staying employed and workers compensation are all at risk for anyone stone cold dumb enough to indulge.

1.) I used to indulge, maybe to excess, but that was MY stupidity, and fortunately, I was lucky enough not to get caught by authorities.
2.) It is almost certainly impossible to overdose on marijuana; you'd fall asleep first. Not so with other drugs, (opiates) which is at least partially why they are illegal
3.) BUT, some of those illegal drugs become legal with doctor's prescription. This should also apply to marijuana.
4.) The "war on Drugs" was lost before it began, as people will always find some way to self-medicate their moods, no matter what. Early education is the only way to avoid the dangers and downsides of the otherwise legal drugs (alcohol, nicotine) and should apply here also

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